


Passed down like folk songs, Our love lasts so long

by Impossiblefangirl0632



Category: Star Wars - All Media Types, Star Wars Sequel Trilogy
Genre: Alderaan is vaguely England, Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Alternate Universe - Royalty, F/M, Mistaken Identity, Paparazzi, Prince Ben Solo, Rey is also smitten but is in denial, ben is smitten
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-09-24
Updated: 2021-02-21
Packaged: 2021-03-07 21:41:18
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 3
Words: 9,126
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26634511
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Impossiblefangirl0632/pseuds/Impossiblefangirl0632
Summary: “You really don’t know who I am.” He said this quietly, as though this fact was far beyond the realm of possibility.She was tempted to roll her eyes but decided that was rude and instead quirked an eyebrow at him. “Should I? Are you famous or something?”
Relationships: Rey/Ben Solo | Kylo Ren
Comments: 58
Kudos: 137





	1. Chance encounter

**Author's Note:**

> I feel like I should apologize for starting another WIP but I'm going to resist that urge because it means that I've been writing and I am proud of myself for doing so. This should in theory be fairly short maybe 10-15k by the end. We'll see. Enjoy!
> 
> Thanks to dawninthemtn for beta-ing!

"Do you make a habit of sitting on people?"

Rey glared at the giant oaf who had knocked her in the water and reflected on the events that had led her to have to climb out of a pond in St Jyn’s, wringing water from her hair and freezing in the autumn evening air.

Her day had proceeded like any other. But after a grueling twelve-hour shift at Plutt's mechanic shop, her long walking path home had been met with road construction.

She had decided to take a detour through the gardens of St Jyn’s and took a moment to sit on a pond-side bench, maybe sit and futilely try to see some stars for a few minutes, take in the wonder of nature or whatever.

Except for the bench she had chosen to sit on was already occupied.

The unfortunate human seat cushion had sworn and jumped up, causing Rey to trip and fall into the pond.

Rey went to stand but was met with stabbing pain for her efforts.

She gingerly put weight back down on her left foot, testing to see if it could hold her. Satisfied that she wouldn’t fall again, she limped toward the trail.

“-it’s not my fault you sat on me; are you drunk or something?” The man had apparently kept talking after she had tuned him out. He changed his tone, catching her attention. “Are you alright? You’re limping.”

“Thank you Captain Obvious for that wonderful assessment,” Rey grumbled without pausing. She was shivering violently and at this rate, it would be another hour before she got home.

“Wait! Where are you going?” Rey could hear his footsteps approaching and she tried to hobble along a little faster.

“Away from here!”

He stepped in front of her. “Look, I’m sorry I startled you but in my defense, you did  _ sit on me _ and wake me up. You’re clearly hurt and it’s partially my f-” Rey snorted. “Alright fine, I take full responsibility for making you fall in the water.”

“Wonderful. Sort of apology, sort of accepted. Now, I’ve had a really long day and just want to get home so if you could just -” She made a little shooing motion with her hand.

He didn’t move. “How are you getting home? Because you’re not walking like that; you’ll make it worse.” 

“That is exactly what I’m going to do because I don’t really have another choice. Who do you think you are anyway?” Rey squinted into the darkness trying to make out anything more detailed than he was ridiculously tall and broad. “Most people would have just apologized and let me on my way.”

“You don’t-?” He stopped and changed directions. “I am sincerely sorry for startling you and accidentally causing you injury.”

“Thank you, now if you c-”

He cut her off to finish his statement. “But I’m not most people so will you please allow me to help you?” As he spoke, he shrugged off his hoodie and offered it to her. He looked harmless enough despite his gigantic stature, but what was someone so well-spoken doing asleep on a bench at 9 at night? Her gut, which was never wrong, knew that something didn’t make sense.

“That’s really not necessary.” Rey wavered for the sake of politeness, but inside she was dying to accept the help, the chill night air was much worse now she was soaked and her ankle would only get worse if she walked home. 

She knew from experience that she was capable of working through pain at the shop, but she’d rather not. 

He had shifted his weight slightly and she could now make out a bit of his face in the pale moonlight. He looked sincere enough. His dark eyes looked sad, but kind, like someone who had seen too much too early. 

“Please, I insist.” 

Rey waited half a second before agreeing and taking the offered jacket. It drowned her, nearly falling to her knees but oh it was warm, She had to physically stop herself from wrapping it around herself like a child with a favorite blanket. 

“Thank you.” The new warmth had made her realize just how cold she was. The hoodie had looked shabby in the dim light but the interior felt soft and well cared for. 

She still felt suspicious of this kind stranger so she abruptly asked, “What’s your name?”

Did he look… guilty? “Um, Ben.” It sounded true enough, so Rey let it slide. Maybe his full name was overly posh or something.

“I’m Rey. Nice to meet you, well, mostly,” she teased.

Ben chuckled and smiled softly. Rey melted a little at the sight. He seemed vaguely familiar, like someone you run into frequently on the train but can’t place in another context. Now that she wasn’t shivering and her indignant fury had calmed down she could appreciate his unconventionally handsome face. He turned his head slightly under her observation like he was trying to hide something.

Oh.

The lighting had worked against him. By turning his head he had accidentally let the light reflect better on the scarred skin that stretched from his forehead and disappeared under his shirt collar.

Rey purposefully didn’t react. She knew what it was like to want to hide parts of yourself.

“So… How’s this going to work?” she asked instead. A look of gratitude flashed briefly in his eyes. 

“Oh, well-” He scrunched his mouth together and Rey realized he hadn’t actually thought this through. He looked too cute like that and she couldn’t help the tiny laugh that escaped her.

Ben glared at her without any real malice. “My place isn’t far from here. You can dry off and get some ice on your foot.” He faltered, a faint blush appeared on his cheeks, “Or- or If you’re uncomfortable with that I can just call you a cab.“ 

His inclusion of the second offer was what sealed her decision to accept the first. He was cute and she wanted to keep talking to him. “Being dry sounds lovely, thank you.”

He nodded while looking a little shocked. He clearly hadn’t expected her to take him up on the offer but he didn’t seem annoyed. 

“Right. Well. Can you walk? Or would you like help?”

“I can walk,” she assured him. But her foot had other ideas and twinged painfully as soon as she picked it up.

Ben caught her as she staggered, gathering her up into his arms as though she weighed nothing.

Rey had flung out her arm trying to regain her balance but now retracted it too hastily accidentally feeling across the broad expanse of his chest. Disguised by the loose T-shirt he wore were clear signs of his strength. Rey struggled to find something to say that wasn’t awkward but eventually gave up. She hoped she seemed flustered due to being caught rather than being flustered over the person who’d caught her.

He looked down at her worriedly. “Is this alright?”

Rey nodded once, not trusting herself to speak as she was still basking in his warmth and strong embrace.

He shifted her weight a little and began walking towards the park’s exit. 

“You really don’t have to carry me. I can hobble,” Rey protested weakly.

Ben glanced down at her and raised one imperious eyebrow before staring resolutely forward. “Just because you can handle something on your own doesn’t mean you should have to.” 

He murmured this so quietly that Rey knew instinctively that this was a lesson he had learned the hard way. Her heart broke a little at the thought, making her wonder if the scar was connected to whatever had happened.

They shared a companionable silence for a few minutes. When the park’s gate was in sight, Ben broke the silence by asking what she did for work.

“I’m a mechanic.” She responded simply, not wanting to get into it.

“Oh, that’s cool. My grandmother was a mechanic during the Separatist Rebellion. How did you get into that?” 

Rey was pleasantly surprised; she had been expecting some sort of comment about how that was an odd career choice for a woman. “My uh- my foster father has a garage and when I aged out I kept working there.” She almost continued but decided against it.

“But…” When Rey didn’t respond he probed, not unkindly, ”Is it really what you want to be doing?”

Rey sighed deeply, wishing she could bury her face in his jacket. “I don’t know. I’m good at it, and I enjoy the work but Plutt is…” She trailed off not wanting to expose any more of her sob story, not that she was doing a good job of hiding it anyway. She was usually much more closed off than this. Why was she opening up to this enigma of a man? 

“I just don’t know what else I would do.” She added lamely, “I’ve got to pay the bills somehow and I definitely don’t have the money to go to Uni or even the money to quit the garage while I look for another job.”

“Does he treat you well?” Ben asked with narrowed eyes. They had exited the park now and were walking down the path that followed the ornate outer fence of the royal palace. 

Rey rubbed at her forehead with the hand that wasn’t pinned to her side. “I think he treats me as well as he is able.” It was enough of an answer while still being a nonanswer that all Ben could do was purse his lips unhappily, thankfully not pushing the subject.

“So what do you do?” Rey asked, trying to shift the conversation away from herself and to satiate her curiosity.

Ben faltered as if he didn’t really know how to answer the question. “I guess I work for my mother. She wants me to take over the family business.” He sounded bitter like he would rather do anything else.

“That sounds… nice?” Rey hesitated. She knew that not every family was happy but it still made her heart clench.

“It logically is. Sometimes the expectation just gets to me. I understand what you mean when you say you don’t know what else you would do. She’s organized my whole life around me taking over eventually.” He sighed, “And I will. On good days I even want to, I just get lost in my own head sometimes.” 

“Does that usually happen on dimly lit park benches?” she teased, hoping to get a smile out of him.

Rey was rewarded for her efforts by his soft smile. 

“Whenever I can ditch mom’s PA.” He smirked sardonically.

“You make it sound like you’re in a spy movie or something.”

He searched her face intently as he slowed down. They must be nearly his place. Rey had stopped paying attention to their surroundings, distracted by the conversation and her growling stomach. She hadn’t eaten since noon and all she’d had today was a slice of bread for breakfast and an apple at lunch.

“You really don’t know who I am.” He said this quietly, as though this fact was far out of the realm of possibility. 

She was tempted to roll her eyes but decided that was rude and instead quirked an eyebrow at him. “Should I? Are you famous or something?”

He opened his mouth to speak but nothing came out at first. He looked embarrassed but eventually huffed in annoyance and started again. “I’m-”

“Your Highness! Oh dear, Prince Benjamin! I have been looking everywhere for you. Where on Earth have you been Sir?” An impeccably dressed older gentleman hurried out of a gate flanked by two palace guards. He looked harried; his gold tie was untucked from his waistcoat and his hair was nearly sticking up on end. 

The man kept anxiously talking, but Rey stopped paying attention.

_ Prince Benjamin _

_ Prince Benjamin _

_ Prince Benjamin _

If the ground could just open up now and swallow her whole that would be great. 

Except that Ben, or really His Royal Highness Prince Benjamin Organa-Solo of Alderaan, was still holding her so that wouldn’t work. Maybe she could just spontaneously combust in a completely harmless way. Anything to get out of this mortifying situation.

Obviously, she should have known who he was. She grew up here; she should know what the kriffing crown prince looked like! 

She wracked her brain trying to remember what he looked like before tonight. Plutt had never let her have much internet access and after she aged out she never bothered to really keep up with current events, just focused on keeping her head down and surviving. 

Oh.

She knew where the scar came from now. 

It had been all over the news around the time she aged out. The Crown Prince had disappeared for months. Even Rey, with limited access, had heard about it. The last picture she’d seen of him was from the day he came back. His hair had been shorter then, his face gaunt and eyes haunted. 

He’d been pronounced missing in action after a skirmish with The First Order, a remnant of the old Empire that had seized Alderaan along with many other nations before the revolution dismantled the Empire. The First Order imploded when its leader, a man named Snoke, had been found dead just days before the Prince returned. 

The public didn’t know the details of what had happened to him. There was plenty of speculation but the two things everyone agreed on were that the scar was new and the timing of Snoke’s death was suspicious. 

All this ran through her mind in a few seconds. She blinked furiously to try and clear the fuzziness from her head and focus again on the world around her. It didn’t really work, the shock combined with her ever-persistent hunger and the pain in her foot made it hard to breathe.

The older man, Cecil apparently, was still nervously chattering about how worried everyone had been and how it was so irresponsible of him to just leave the palace without telling anyone where he was or taking his guards with him.

“I’d like you to put me down now,” Rey said quietly but firmly. She didn’t dare look at him.

He set her down gently and Rey’s heart ached at the tenderness of it all and the broken possibilities she’d begun to entertain.

Once on her feet again, her head swam. Had she even drunk any water today? At this point, she just needed to get home. Get some food, water, and pain meds and pick up the shattered pieces of her overly hopeful heart before work tomorrow. She didn’t blame him. He’d tried to tell her after realizing her naivety.

“I think it’d be best if I just take a cab home, thank you.” She shut her eyes firmly, trying to gain some semblance of balance.

“Are you alright Miss?” Cecil asked.

She could barely make out his words through a sudden ringing in her ears. She tried to shake off the sound but it grew louder and more persistent, making all the voices and noises around her sound distant and foggy.

“Rey?” Ben’s concern was bordering on panic. “Cecil, go get…”

Ben’s voice kept fading in and out. She needed to sit down. Rey vaguely looked around but decided that the sidewalk was just as good as anywhere. 

She was unconscious before Ben caught her for the second time that night.


	2. Breaking News

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Featuring: A Skywalker family meeting, overprotective friends, and unpleasant news.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> It's Adam Driver's Birthday (a happy coincidence, I just finally finished writing chapter 3) so here's a 'gift' to my fellow Reylos. The real gift was from the lovely dawninthemtn who beta'd this for me and came up with amazing headlines in this chapter.

Ben scowled at the morning headline.

**_Crown Prince Absconds with Mystery Woman_ **

_ His Royal Highness, Prince Benjamin (29) was spotted last night carrying a mystery woman towards one of the palace’s side entrances. Eyewitnesses report that the prince was seen bridal carrying the woman (who may have been wearing the prince’s jacket) until they reached the palace gates. Palace staff greeted them at the gate but soon afterward the woman fainted and was carried inside by the Prince.  _

_ Has the Prince found love at last? What is the nature of his relationship with this woman? Most importantly who is she? _

_ Our sources were unable to get a clear shot of her face  _ _ so all we know for now is that she appears to have dark hair and more than one eyewitness swore that she seemed to be inexplicably dripping  _ _ wet. _

_ We anxiously await a statement from the palace. _

It was just his luck that someone had seen them and gotten pictures of Rey fainting and being carried inside by him. He shoved the newspaper back at Mitaka who took it gracefully, used to Ben’s temper as he was. 

“Have you seen her yet this morning sir?” Mitaka asked.

Ben shook his head and continued to stride down the hall towards his mother’s office where he had been summoned at this unearthly hour. 

“Have you?” Ben asked his PA. 

“Not personally, sir, but I spoke with Dr. Dameron a few minutes ago who told me that she is still asleep. He asked if you’d come to see him after your meeting with the Queen.”

Ben nodded once, thanking Mitaka and knocked on his Mother’s door.

Her office was filled with morning light that reflected and glittered off of the various ornamental keepsakes and gifts she had scattered across the room. He’d spent hours as a child chasing the rainbows in here as she worked. 

Ben stopped short and internally groaned. His father and uncle were here too. 

All three of them had a matching mischievous glint in their eyes and Ben knew the heckling was about to commence.

“So, kid,” chuckled Han, “ _ Abscond _ with any mystery women lately?” 

Ben groaned.

Han scrolled further down on his phone, barely holding in his laughter. “We also have-

_ Is Our Prince Out Kissing Frogs? See the Shocking Photos! _

_ A Royal Mystery? What We Know and Wish We Knew About Prince Ben’s Nighttime Stroll _

_ It’s Confirmed: Prince Ben Could Cradle You Like a Freaking Baby _

_ Good Samaritan or Good-bye Bachelorhood? Prince Ben Carries Unconscious Woman”  _

  
  


“Or how about this,” Luke pulled out a paper from a pile nearly dislodging the tea service on Leia’s desk, “ _ Mystery Woman Faints After a Princely Kiss, Was it from Bliss or Terror _ ?”

Ben had managed to keep a mostly straight face during Han’s list but now choked out, “What?”

“Imagine what your mother would say to such behavior,” Luke tsked, waggling a finger in Ben’s face, who promptly swatted it away.

“I imagine that’s why I’m currently here,” Ben snarked back.

“Boys…” Leia warned. The heckling had gone on long enough.

“Sorry, Leia.” Luke and Han didn’t look sorry at all. 

Leia gestured for them all to sit. Luke took a seat while Han just made himself more comfortable perched on the edge of Leia’s desk.

Ben glared at them, his uncle in particular, but let it go and took a seat next to Luke.

“So, Ben, what actually happened?” his mother asked while stirring her cup of tea. 

Predictably his family thought it completely hilarious that he’d managed to knock the poor girl into the water and then in Han’s words, “pulled out the old Solo charm and immediately insulted her.” 

When he finished recounting the night’s events, Leia took a long slow sip and eyed him over the brim of her cup. 

“Given that you are your father’s son am I correct in assuming that you’re already completely gone for this girl?” she mused.

Both Ben and Han spluttered indignantly but for different reasons.

“And what exactly is that supposed to mean?” Han demanded. Leia raised an eyebrow at him. 

“She shouted at him and was stubbornly independent. Remind you of anyone else’s first meeting?” she asked innocently.

“Excuse me, but I am not like him.” Ben restrained himself from shouting. “And I am not ‘completely gone’ for Rey. I think she’s kind and funny and I’m worried that she’s not taking care of herself.”

“Of course you are, Ben,” Leia said soothingly, as though that explained everything. “Tell me, what color are her eyes?”

“Hazel with little gold and green flecks,” Ben answered without hesitation. “And I don’t see what that has to do with anything.”

Han and Luke looked at each other. “He really is exactly like you,” Luke grumbled before pulling out his wallet and handling a bill to Han.

Ben watched the transaction with annoyance; this wasn’t the first time they’d bet on him and it wouldn’t be the last. 

“I think you’re forgetting something,” Leia sang. 

Both men groaned before handing the queen her dues. 

“Mom!” Ben expected this from his father but not her.

“What?” she asked innocently. “These two were both adamant that you’d fall for blue eyes and I knew they were wrong. Here,” She offered one of the bills to him. “Your cut. Thanks for drunkenly confiding in me last Christmas that you prefer hazel eyes.”

“What?!” Han looked overdramatically outraged. “That’s cheating Princess.”

“All’s fair in love and war,” she snarked at him. “Now shoo both of you, I need to talk to Ben.” 

After Han and Luke had left Ben sat up straighter in his chair and placed a hand firmly on her desk. “If this is the part where you tell me I can’t see her again because of some stupid law about who the heir to the throne can or can’t date then I can already tell you that I’m not going to listen because that is complete bull-”

“Benjamin,” Leia snapped, “before you dig yourself deeper into this hole may I remind you of your father’s less than auspicious beginnings?”

Ben fought the urge to shrink back in his chair but did look guilty enough that his mother continued in a gentler tone. “I did want to talk to you about Miss Johnson but not to tell you that you can’t court her if that is what you both wish. I will issue a word of caution though,” She gestured to the stack of newspapers on her desk, “That will just be the beginning if you pursue this. If you pursue her. Make sure she knows the consequences before you let it get too far.”

Ben nodded. He already knew this but appreciated that Leia was just trying to save him from another media circus. They both knew he’d already had enough of that for several lifetimes. Ben had requested his mother’s help in staying out of the spotlight in the last three years he’d been home and besides the initial unavoidable mess, with her help, he’d been able to manage a semblance of privacy to heal after Snoke.

“I actually wanted to talk to you because I’m concerned about what Miss Rey said about her former foster father. I’d like to speak with her myself once she’s awake and able.”

Ben wasn’t as subtle as he thought he was when Leia saw him glance at the clock, “Go on then.” She shooed him away, pouring herself another cup. “I’m sure you’d much rather be talking to that young woman than your old mother.”

Mood significantly lighter than it had been before entering her office, he sincerely thanked his mother and left to go find Poe and finally talk to Rey.

He intercepted Poe in the hallway outside of Rey’s room. Once Poe had confirmed that she had passed out from a combination of dehydration and exhaustion and would be alright once she rested, Ben had her moved from the infirmary to one of the nicer guest rooms. 

Poe took Ben aside before they entered, “She’s been awake for a few minutes but is still pretty groggy.” Poe shifted the manilla folder under his arm and hesitated before speaking again, “I probably shouldn’t tell you this but her blood work came back and in my personal opinion I think this-” Poe waved his hand vaguely, “whole situation may end up being very good for her. And that’s all I’m telling you without her direct permission.”

Ben’s eye twitched, the only outward sign that he was annoyed at Poe’s vagueness. But Poe, as Ben’s lifelong friend, still caught it. “Don’t give me that.” He snapped, before grumbling, “I already told you more than I should.” 

“You barely told me anything, what’s ‘this whole situation’ even supposed to mean?” 

“I’m not telling you.” Poe insisted.

“Besides,” added Poe, in a sudden change of tone that made Ben suspicious, “Every minute you spend glaring at me is a minute you don’t get to be talking to your mystery woman.” 

Ben glared at him, “Not you too…”

“Relax Benji, this isn’t your first rodeo, it’ll die down soon enough.” Poe clapped him on the back and held the door open for his friend. 

“Ah, Miss Johnson!” Poe exclaimed, instantly turning the charisma back up to ten. He noted the empty plate and water glass he’d left her with. “I see you’ve eaten, good. Are you feeling any better?”

Rey nodded silently, but she was staring at Ben. He could practically see the gears turning in her head. 

“How much do you remember from last night?” he asked quietly, irrationally afraid that she had forgotten everything.

“Everything,” She fidgeted and took another drink of water. “Everything until I fainted and then I woke up here.” Her gaze nailed his soul to the spot. “What happened?”

Poe took pity on Ben and took it upon himself to explain. “Like I said earlier, since I’m the live-in doctor at the palace, Ben took you to me last night after you passed out. Between you and me,” he shot a conspiratorial look at Ben and winked at Rey, “he was quite worried about you.”

Ben was secretly pleased to see her cheeks go pink. The low light last night had made that difficult yesterday. 

Poe continued, “We had to go through your wallet to find your last name and birthdate so I could find your medical records. As a precaution, we drew some blood to run some tests to rule out possible reasons why you fainted. I have some findings I need to discuss with you but I can ask Ben to leave first if you wish.”

Rey looked at Poe in alarm, before her gaze flitted back to Ben, considering. “He can stay,” she confirmed. “You’re the only person I know here and frankly,” she swiveled back to Poe, “You’re freaking me out so just tell me.”

Poe handed her the manilla envelope pointing out several highlighted rows. “You are severely, I suspect chronically, malnourished and at least as of yesterday were extremely dehydrated which was most likely the main reason you fainted. You are also at least mildly anemic based on your blood work. Do you often feel exhausted? When you bleed does it take longer than usual to stop?”

Rey didn’t answer for a long time, just staring at the paper in front of her. 

Eventually, she looked up with an impeccable mask of calm. “Yes, to both of your questions.” She surprised them both by moving on so quickly when she asked, “Is my phone around here somewhere? I need to call my roommates; they’re probably worried sick.”

“Miss Tico and Mr. Storm have been contacted and assured of your safety,” Ben explained but still got up and retrieved her phone from the outlet it’d been charging at. “They’re expecting a call from you once you feel up to it.”

Rey thanked him quietly as he handed the mobile to her. “Do they know I’m at the palace? Do they know I met you? Am I allowed to tell them any of that?” 

Ben thought back to Rose Tico’s rather, explosive, comments. “They know you were with me when you fainted and that you stayed here under medical observation. You have good friends; they were both quite worried about and protective of you.”

Rey grimaced, “I am so sorry for whatever they said.” 

Ben waved it off, “It’s fine. Your friends' reactions after Miss Tico video called your phone were actually pretty funny.” The conversation would have been difficult to forget.

_ Rey’s phone rang again for the fourth or fifth time since she had fainted. Each time before this had been too hectic to hear her standard ringtone over the chaos. Ben scrubbed his hand down his face in trepidation before answering Rose Tico’s call. _

_ “Rey?” Rose, Ben assumed, sounded frantic, “Rey where are you? You’re always home by now and Finn and I are freaking out.” _

_ “Um, hi,” _

_ “Who are you?” Rose demanded. “Where’s Rey? If you hurt her I will find you and I will personally rip out your kidneys.” Ben heard a chair scrape back suddenly and then a second voice he presumed was Finn, filtered through. _

_ “Rose? What’s going on?” _

_ “If you would just allow me to explain,” Ben frantically interjected before this could derail any further, “I’m with Rey now. She’s still unconscious or I would hand the phone to her.” This was the wrong thing to say and Ben realized that too late.  _

_ Angry diplomats he could handle. Angry and overprotective roommates? Not so much. _

_ Ben jerked the phone away from his ear as Rose and Finn loudly bombarded him with questions mixed with threats. _

_ “She passed out while we were talking and I took her to a doctor,” he managed to cut in. _

_ “Prove it,” Finn demanded. Ben hesitated unsure what he was supposed to do. Rey’s phone was locked or he would just text them a picture from her phone and his phone wasn’t an option.  _

_ But before he could come up with an alternative solution Rey’s phone lit up with a video call request. One that Ben accidentally answered. _

_ Their flummoxed faces were almost worth it. Almost. _

_ “You’re Prince Ben.” Rose finally said, the look of complete shock still on her face. _

_ “Yes, I am.” Ben’s eye twitched and he couldn’t resist the gibe so he added, “And I haven’t forgotten your plethora of threats for creative disembowelment, so here’s Rey.” Ben switched the camera so they could see their friend. _

__

  
  


He smiled a little at the memory, remembering his promise to Rose and Finn to look after Rey.

He perched on the edge of a nearby armchair, and clasped his hands together at his knees, “But back to the more pressing matter of your health...”

Poe took that as his cue to start talking again and asked Rey several probing questions about her usual diet and water intake, both of which were woefully below minimum requirements. 

“What about your work?” Poe asked, “Are you getting enough breaks? How many hours a week are you working?”

Rey squirmed uncomfortably under his scrutiny. She’d answered his other questions easily and Ben’s suspicions about her work grew.

“I’m fine. Work is fine. It’s a job-” Rey caught Ben’s eye and something she saw there made her deflate from her previous defiant state. “I work about 70 hours a week and he doesn’t give any of us breaks and threatens to fire us if we go to the labor board. And as a mechanic, especially a female mechanic, it’s hard to get a job without references.”

Ben felt a familiar anger coil inside at her words. No one should be treated like that, especially not Rey.

Her phone’s ringtone split the heavy silence. Her face paled but she answered it nonetheless.

Ben could hear the angry shouting from several feet away.  _ “Where are you, you worthless chit!? Did you forget that I own you girl?” _ Ben clenched his hand into a fist.  _ “Or maybe you’re too drunk to know what day it is like your worthless parents!”  _

Rey’s brief wince was the only sign that his words had hurt her and Ben realized that she was used to this sort of verbal abuse.

“I broke my foot,” Rey looked up at the ceiling as though praying for mercy. “The doctor told me I’m not supposed to put any weight on it for at least a week.”

_ “And you think that’s a good enough reason to not come to work?”  _ Her boss growled back.  _ “What have I told you over and over again girl?”  _

Rey’s eyes darted briefly to Ben before focusing on her free hand that was clenching the blanket covering her legs. “The only excuse you’ll take is if I’m dead.”

_ “Oh, so you do have a brain in that empty head of yours,” _ he sneered. “ _ Since I’m feeling generous I’ll let you keep your job, but only if you’re here in the next twenty minutes and you can say goodbye to your lunch break for the next two weeks-” _

Ben had had enough. In this case, it was better to ask forgiveness than permission. He took the phone from Rey, ignoring her protest.

“Let me make one thing clear to you Mr. Plutt,” Ben growled into the phone. “Miss Johnson not coming in today is about to be the least of your worries.” He ended the call and handed the phone back to Rey, chest heaving with barely contained rage.

“What was that?” Rey demanded sitting upright as much as she could with her bandaged foot. “Do you know how much begging and unpaid hours it’s going to take before Plutt ‘forgives’ me for that!” She looked positively furious. Ben knew that now was not the time to be attracted to her but was quickly losing that battle.

“None because you’re not going back to him ever.” Ben stood up to go find Mitaka and get this mess sorted out.

Rey jerked him back by yanking on his wrist. She glared up at him icily, “You don’t get to make decisions for me.” 

The anger deflated and he was left with guilt. He took his seat again and twisted his wrist so he was holding her hand instead. “I know. I’m sorry, I shouldn’t have done that. But,” He looked up from their clasped hands (he was overjoyed she hadn’t pulled away) and into her wide eyes, “No one deserves to be treated like that. From what you said and what he just confirmed, he’s breaking several laws and as Alderaan’s Prince I can’t ignore that.”

She absently rubbed her thumb across his hand, “That’s… fair. But what will happen to me and the others?”

“I’ll take care of you,” he promised. He felt his ears flush red and rushed to add, “I mean, all of you, you and your coworkers. References, work placement, whatever- ”

Rey’s smile cut off his rambling. “Thank you.” She used her free hand to brush a strand of hair behind her ear.

Entranced, Ben followed the movement with his eyes. He was loath to leave but wanted to get this business with Plutt sorted out as soon as possible. “Get some rest.” He brought her hand to his lips and kissed it gently, smirking a little at the gasp that escaped her. “I’ll be back later. Let Poe or one of his assistants know if you need anything.”

\---

Rey watched him go with a lingering smile on her lips. She idly rubbed her fingers together, marveling at the residual warmth from Ben’s hand. He was unlike anyone she’d ever met before - he was kind but overprotective, quick to anger but gentle. She’d barely spent an hour in his presence (while conscious anyways), she shouldn’t feel this attached already. 

Right?

Lost in thought, Rey fiddled with the embroidered edge of the softest blanket she’d ever felt. This overwhelming feeling of rightness scared her. People are not to be trusted, relationships are to be carefully considered first to avoid pain. These were the lessons she had learned through trial and pain growing up. So why did she so openly trust Ben with her past? Why did she want nothing more than to know everything about him? To see him smile and know that she had caused it? 

This was more than physical attraction, though she openly admitted that the attraction was  _ definitely  _ there. Love at first sight wasn’t supposed to exist. Love, as Rey liked to think of it, was slow and aged to grow sweeter with time. People couldn’t love in a moment. Maybe love at first sight was too simplified, maybe what they meant was the realized potential for love at first sight. A spark, the turning of a key. The engine is running but the car won’t move unless the driver decides to make it. 

The point is, she decided, that she liked Ben. She thought last night that that tiny hope was gone. He was a prince and she was no one. But he cared for her, put up with her friends' threats, most importantly, he had come back. That tiny spark of hope was alive and growing. Maybe this once she could open her heart to possibility.

Plus, she mused, based on his reactions and small smiles, Rey was reasonably confident that he liked her too. 

\---

Rose answered her phone on the first ring. 

_ “Rey? It is actually you this time, right?”  _

Rey barely managed a “yes” before Rose released her barrage of questions ranging from accusatory and worried and ending with sly teasing.

_ “So, Prince Ben huh?”  _ Rey could hear the suggestive eyebrow wiggle. _ “Please tell me he’s even better looking in person.” _

“Rose!” Rey hid her face in her hand, sincerely glad that she was alone. “You know that I don’t say this lightly. He is without a doubt the most gorgeous man I have ever seen.”

Rose’s laughter was worth Rey’s scarlet face.  _ “Tell me everything,” _ Rose commanded when she could breathe again.

Rey indulged her, glad to get some friendly female perspective on her fast developing crush. 

_ “You’ve got it bad,”  _ Rose sighed. _ “But,”  _ the teasing lilt was back, _ “based on our conversation last night - by the way thanks for making it so I can now say I’ve yelled at the prince of Alderaan - anyway in my humble opinion he’s also got it bad for you.”  _

“But what am I supposed to do now? He said he’d take care of me but what does that mean? Is that making sure I get another job after this? Is it something more… personal?” 

Rose snorted,  _ “Not the word I would have chosen…” _

Rey ignored her. “I don’t know! I hate not knowing”

_ “I know. And Finn and I will be there for you no matter what.” _ Rose must have put her on speaker because she sounded further away and Rey could hear her typing. 

Rey wiped at her eyes, brushing away the small trace of frustrated tears. She had the best friends in the world and told Rose as such.

_ “Oh I know-”  _ Rose trailed off suddenly.

“Rose?”

_ “Have you seen the news today?”  _

One particularly annoying article that made it sound like Rey was some helpless maiden the Ben had seduced came to mind. “Yes,” Rey clenched her jaw. “I’m glad they don’t know it was me. That would be-” 

Her phone buzzed, cutting her off. Rey quickly scanned the headline Rose had sent her. 

“I am going to kill Unkar Plutt.”


	3. (Un?)Timely Confessions

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you all for all the lovely support you've shown this little story!
> 
> Beta credit to [Dawninthemtn](https://archiveofourown.org/users/dawninthemtn/pseuds/dawninthemtn)

She should stop scrolling. She should really,  _ really,  _ stop scrolling.

_ Mystery Solved! Jobless Orphan Rey Johnson steals Prince’s heart _

_ Who is Rey Johnson? Fairytale Heroine or Con Artist?  _

_ The Prince and The Pauper: Mystery Woman Revealed _

_ Foster Father tells all: Rey Johnson may Spell Doom for the Royal Family _

“Miss Johnson?” 

Rey finally tore her eyes away from the endless stream of articles. A short, timid-looking man was standing in the doorway. Once he had her attention he continued.

  
“My name is Mitaka. I’m Prince Ben’s personal assistant. The Queen requests your presence in her office. I was sent to escort you.”

Her stomach dropped. This was where she got sent home or worse. “Will Ben be there?” Rey asked nervously.

Mitaka gave her a weak smile. “He was there when I left Miss.”

The walk to the queen’s office (How was this her life now?) was fairly short for which Rey was grateful. Thanks to the new clunky black medical boot she could only ker-clunk along slowly.

Mitaka announced their arrival and guided her inside. Rey would have marveled at the wealth and beauty on display had she not been about to meet the actual Queen of Alderaan.

Queen Leia was shorter than Rey expected. But she also didn’t expect to see the queen flip off her brother and shove him unceremoniously out another door.

“Good luck Miss,” Mitaka muttered under his breath before promptly leaving, closing the door behind him.

“Um…” Rey shifted her weight, remembered the boot, and shifted back onto her good foot. 

Luckily the awkwardness only lasted a few seconds. Ben noticed her arrival and strode quickly across the room to be at her side. 

“I am so sorry.” His hand twitched as though he wanted to hold hers but was afraid of rejection. “This is entirely my fault. I don’t know if Plutt recognized my voice or if he recognized you from the pictures this morning or both. I was supposed to warn you this might happen, but I thought I’d have more time.” His eyes were so expressive that she could clearly see all the anger, frustration, and remorse pass through them. At the end he looked down ashamed, biting his lip.

Rey swallowed, summoned up her courage, and reached out to lace her fingers through his. “It’s okay. I’m not mad.” She saw his disbelief and amended her statement. “Well, yes, I am mad but not at you. I’m furious with Plutt and all of the idiot journalists.”

“And…” She glanced at the Queen who was graciously facing the window in an attempt to give them some privacy. “I’m scared,” she admitted. 

He wrapped his free hand around their clasped ones. “I am too.”

“This has all happened so fast. We barely met and now people are just assumed that we’re- we’re... “ She mentally ran through the list of ludicrous claims people had already made. “That we’re secret lovers, or I’m pregnant, or a prostitute or I’m trying to seduce you for fame and wealth or-” She got more frantic with each listed speculation before Ben cut her off.

“Breathe,” he reminded her. “It’s going to be okay. I’ve dealt with this before, I’ll help you.”

“We both will.” The Queen took her seat and gestured for them to do the same.

Once they were seated with their hands clasped between them, Queen Leia continued. “It makes no sense but Mr. Plutt seems to think that exposing Miss Rey’s identity has given him some protection against legal action.”

“He’s used to dealing with people who are powerless,” Rey explained bitterly. “He’s got us all trapped working for him one way or another.”

“Not anymore,” Ben reminded her.

"Quite," Queen Leia agreed. "I mostly called you in here to tell you that we've passed on your complaints about Mr. Plutt to the authorities, and they feel confident that they will be in a position to arrest him for a number of charges in a short amount of time."

Rey sat back in her chair with a shocked, “huh.” She stared blankly into space for a moment before asking, “So what does that mean for me?”

“You have some decisions to make now,” The Queen’s eyes flitted briefly to Ben. “If you want to find another mechanic job I know Han would be happy to have an assistant.”

“I’ll think about it,” Rey promised. She glanced at Ben and fidgeted under his intense gaze.

“I’ll let you two talk in private.” The Queen had a slight tease to her voice.

“Thank you, Your Majesty.”

“Oh, don’t bother with any of that, ‘Your Majesty’ nonsense. Just Leia is fine.” The Queen -Leia- waved her hand dismissively. “You’ll find we’re all rather informal when we can be.”

Rey let Ben lead her through the palace halls until they entered a secluded courtyard. She looked around in quiet wonder. The space was grand but subdued. The white stone of the palace walls opened in an arcade that surrounded the square lawn within. The edges were framed with climbing dusky purple hydrangeas that curled protectively around the columns. Japanese maples with molted green to red leaves had been planted in the corners and in the center stood a slightly overgrown fountain. A statue of a beautiful woman stood at the center point with the water falling gently below her feet.

She followed Ben in, taking the seat next to him on a bench situated in a patch of weak autumn sunshine. They sat in comfortable silence for a moment taking in the rustling leaves and trickling water.

Ben was the first to speak.

“I can’t think of a way to say this without being melodramatic,” he admitted, biting nervously on his bottom lip.

Rey stopped breathing. Nothing good ever came after a sentence like that. 

“I think I’m falling in love with you. Pretty much from the minute you stood up in that pond and started yelling at me.”

That was… not what she was expecting. She didn’t really know what she  _ had _ been expecting but it wasn’t that. She thought he was kind and maybe interested but there was no way he returned her sudden inexplicable feelings.

Except he did. 

And now he was waiting for her looking like he expected a bomb to go off in his face while she gaped at him like a great stupid fish.

“I’m sorry!” he blurted in a panic. “What was I thinking I mean this is... We’re... I...”

In a rare moment of insane bravery, Rey flung herself forward and kissed him.

At first, it wasn’t the most romantic of kisses, just her lips smashed haphazardly against his, but then he must have recovered from the shock of having another person plow into him because he was kissing her back. His arm wrapped comfortingly around her waist while he threaded his fingers through her hair. Rey pulled gently on his plush bottom lip causing him to sigh gently.

They naturally broke apart but still leaned their foreheads against each other. Her hands had found their way into his hair. Rey was pleased to find it was as soft as it looked. She twirled the strands around her fingers, weaving them deeper into the heavenly locks. 

“That,” said Rey, “was to clear up any possible misunderstanding,” 

Ben smiled so happily that her already frantic heart stuttered once again. How did this gorgeous man want anything to do with her?

She shyly smiled up at him, with a lingering blush on her cheeks, “I think I’m falling in love with you too.”

There was something safer in their mutual phrasing than the usual three words. As though they both understood and were slightly scared of the frantic pace their hearts had set. 

“What now?” Rey asked in a small voice. The confirmation of feelings had done wonders to alleviate much of her anxiety but there were still plenty of unknowns.

“It depends on what you want. Being with me won’t be easy; you had a glimpse of that this morning. People will talk, and a good portion of it won’t be kind.” He brought her knuckles up to his lips and kissed them. “I wouldn’t blame you at all for not wanting to have to deal with that.”

“I’ve got a tough skin. Nothing anyone says will change how I feel about you.” She clasped his hand tighter and kissed his knuckles in return. “I want to be with you. But won’t your mother or someone protest? I mean you’re the crown prince and I’m nothing.”

“Not to me.” His sincerity left Rey feeling warm and weak-kneed. 

“Ben, I’m serious. How can this possibly work?” 

“So am I. My father was one dubious legal definition from being a literal pirate before he met my mother. My mom and uncle had to rescue him from the Tatooine mafia one time so none of them can say anything about your background.”

“But didn’t they-” Rey’s cheeks flushed scarlet but she kept going anyway, “didn’t they get married during the restructuring after the empire. I mean, would they have still been allowed to if Alderaan hadn’t just come out of an oppressive regime?”  _ Like now for instance? _

Ben’s ears were also red. “No one has ever been able to tell my mother what to do. Some of her advisors opposed their marriage but she married him anyway.” 

Rey looked down at her hands trying to wrangle her thoughts. Surveying all the options, looking for potential outcomes is how she’s stayed afloat. Realistically relationships only end two ways; you stay together or you break up. Ben would be expected to get married one day, his status didn’t allow for extended relationship limbo. This meant if she entered into a relationship with Ben there was a possibility of marrying him one day if things worked out between them. This led to one central point. 

Ben would be king one day. 

In this possible future, what would that mean for her? Was she willing to possibly bear the responsibility of being the King of Alderaan’s wife? If not, could she step away and watch Ben marry someone else? 

_ Too fast. Too fast. Too fast. _

Ben gently lifted her chin up, breaking her out of her thought spiral. Rey exhaled deeply and smiled shyly at him. 

Those were issues that could be addressed in the future. It was much too soon to be seriously considering any of it. For now, the best thing to do was to take the next steps, get to know this dear gentle giant in front of her, figure out what she was going to do about being suddenly unemployed, and do her best to stay out of the media’s spotlight.

\---

They talked as they wandered the palace for the rest of the day. After the heavy conversations of the morning, they mutually avoided asking anything too serious, sticking to things like favorite books or the optimal viewing order of  _ Galaxy Battles _ movies.

Their peaceful afternoon couldn’t last forever though. They both had responsibilities, so with exchanged phone numbers and promises to go on a proper date soon, Rey finally went home.

Ben had wanted to drive her home himself but had been dissuaded by the palace's head of security, a gruff man named 'Chewie.' Despite the unusual name, Rey had instantly decided he was the sanest person involved with the royals. He pointed out that Ben needed to avoid the media lurking around Rey's apartment, another breach of privacy compliments of Unkar Plutt.

Rey cursed her former boss’s name every step of the way between the car and her stairwell door. She was grateful for Chewie’s towering presence that kept most of the would-be journalists away though a few particularly insistent ones still shouted over him.

“Rey! Is it true you’re dating Prince Ben?”

“Why did you faint?”

“When’s the wedding?”

“Is he a good lay?”

_ That _ reporter’s foot was ‘accidentally’ trod on.

“How does it feel to be a publicity stunt? We all know there’s no way Prince Ben would ever date a nobody like you.”

Rey shot the obnoxious man her best death glare even as his callous words echoed.

_ Nobody like you… _

_ Publicity stunt… _

_ Would never date… _

_ Nobody like you Nobody like you nobody nobody nobody _

__

Finn must have been watching for her because he opened the door as she approached and shepherded her in. He and Chewie exchanged understanding nods before Finn closed the door and they retreated upstairs to their flat.

Rose pulled Rey into a bone-crushing hug the moment she stepped inside.

“I’m glad you’re home. Are you okay?” 

Rey deflated and just let herself be hugged. It still felt wonderful even after three years of having such affectionate friends.

Finn joined in, making Rey the middle of a hug sandwich. “Don’t let what that guy said get to you. You’re not nobody. You’re our friend and we love you.”

“Yeah!” Rose agreed. “What does some clickbait junkie know anyway?”

Rey released herself from the hug sandwich to go put the kettle on. After the past 24 hours, she just wanted some tea, a fuzzy blanket, and her friends.

She hated how much the journalist’s question was affecting her. She didn’t think the jerk was right, she knew she wasn’t some publicity stunt. She knew, her friends knew, but lots of people would agree with that man because it made sense didn’t it? Why would the Crown Prince of Alderaan show any interest in her? Their social spheres were so far apart. This kind of fairytale thing didn’t happen in real life. Princes didn’t date scruffy orphan mechanics. Queen Leia may have gotten away with it but there was no way the public would accept it twice.” When she was sitting next to Ben everything had seemed manageable, hopeful even, but now-

“Rey.” Rose gently snapped her out of it. “You’re spiraling. Go pick a movie. I’ll finish making tea. Go on, shoo.” 

Rey reluctantly handed the kettle to Rose but didn’t leave the kitchen. Instead, she leaned against their cluttered counter.

“He said I’m a publicity stunt.” She hurried on to explain, “And I know I’m not but no one else is going to know that. What if that’s the way they all start spinning it? He doesn’t deserve that. I don’t deserve that! It’s none of their business anyway. He’s just a normal person with questionable  _ Galaxy Battles _ opinions who happens to be the prince of this country!” 

Rose set the kettle down and turned back to her friend. “You really like him, don’t you?” It wasn’t even a question in her voice.

Rey sighed but agreed. “I really do Rose. And it’s freaking me out.”

Rose smiled knowingly. She went about the kitchen gathering supplies for three cups of tea before speaking her mind.

“You’re the bravest person I know. It’ll work out. As to your journalist problem, I’m not telling you what you should do because I don’t know either but the way I see it you have two options: ignore them, or tell your story on your terms. People will believe what they want to. Don’t let their opinions change something that could make you happy. You deserve to be happy, Rey.”

She pressed the warm cup into Rey’s hands and led her to the couch. 

Finn turned on the Fellowship of the Ring, knowing it was one of Rey’s go-to comfort films. The trio sprawled over their well-loved couch, nursing their tea and enjoying getting lost in middle earth. She thought about Ben, about the rumors, about Plutt, and about her need for a new job. 

By the time the credits rolled Rey felt she had absorbed enough second-hand bravery for whatever came next. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Honestly my brain is fried because of grad school and I'm kinda floundering on where this is going next. So, it may be a while before this updates again. It will get finished! It just may take me a while to figure out what the ending is.

**Author's Note:**

> If you have a moment I would love to hear your thoughts in the comments!


End file.
